Tymbark: Historic Routes and Local History

Church and chapel: two historic landmarks

The church in Tymbark houses a baptismal font dating from 1541. It comes from the old church and is attributed to the Gothic-Renaissance period. Its specific date and provenance give the artwork its own historical significance: it connects the present-day church with an older church building in the town.

Another landmark is a sandstone chapel donated by the residents of Tymbark. It was built in 1870 and moved to its present location beside the parish church in 1975. Its material, date of construction, and relocation history make the chapel a different way to explore local history than the baptismal font. If you are interested in historic buildings, you can focus on these two distinct landmarks when exploring Tymbark.

The market square as a starting point for a history trail

The educational tourist trail about the history of the German occupation begins and ends in Tymbark’s market square. From there, the route leads to several historic sites from that period. It comprises six stops about the underground activities of residents of Tymbark and the surrounding area between 1939 and 1945. Information boards and photographs from the occupation describe important events associated with each site at every stop.

This thematic trail focuses on a clearly defined period and the events at its stops. The market square is a useful reference point for planning: it is both the starting point and the endpoint. The individual stops add local history to the experience, while the route also extends beyond the central square to several historic sites.

Routes and information boards

A branch of the Szlak Papieski leads from Tymbark via Łopień to Chyszówki. The places named and the route via Łopień give this trail a different character from the history trail, which focuses on the German occupation. So if you are exploring routes in and around Tymbark, it is worth distinguishing between these two trails by their respective themes and routes.

Information boards with maps of the routes taken by Karol Wojtyła have been installed next to the railway station, in the market square, and beside the SKR in Tymbark. They focus on these routes and their maps. The three locations also serve as points of reference for finding your way around town, and the boards should not be confused with those on the history trail.

More ways to explore Tymbark

Military Cemetery No. 365 was established as a separate section beside the existing parish cemetery. This spatial relationship is part of its history and distinguishes it from the stops on the occupation history trail. The Tymbark Public Municipal Library, named after Captain Tadeusz Paolone, has a lending library, a reading room, an internet reading room, a national memorial site, as well as a conference room and an exhibition room. Check current visitor arrangements before your visit.

You can separate out different questions when deciding what interests you on your trip: if you want to explore church landmarks and the periods in which they were created, focus on the connection between the baptismal font and the chapel. If you are interested in the history of 1939 to 1945, the trail and its six stops offer a distinct thematic perspective. The Szlak Papieski, in turn, is defined by its route via Łopień to Chyszówki. This way, you can choose a hotel in Tymbark to suit the focus of your trip.

Discover more destinations: Mszana Dolna, Mstów, Kamionka Mała, Nowe Rybie, Kamienica, Poręba Wielka, Dobra, Kostrza.

For the broader travel overview: Limanowa.